Screw-cap lock.



H. P. LESMANN.'

SCREW CAP LOCK.

APPLICATION men JAN. 2, 1914.

Patented Nov. 21, 1916.

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HERMAN P. LESMANN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ANTISEPTOL LIQUID SOAP G0,, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CGRPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SCREW-CAP LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 1916.

i) all whom it vitag concern Be it known that I, HERMAN LESMANN, a citizen of the United States, resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Screw-Cap Look, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to looks for screw caps as applied to receptacles for liquid soap or the like and the objects of my improvements are first, to lock the screw cap against removal by malicious or mischievous persons; second, to prevent anyone except the authorized person from tampering with the contents of the receptacle; third, to make a cheap, simple and durable device, and other features to become apparent from the description to follow.

While I have designed this lock particularly for liquid soap receptacles it can also be applied to other receptacles and containers, provided with a screw closing cap. It is common to furnish liquid soap receptacles which take the form of an inverted bottle and have a removable screw cap on their upper end which is removed each time a fresh supply of liquid soap is placed into the receptacle.

Experience has proven that persons who are not authorized will for some reason or other tamper or meddle with the contents of the receptacle by removing the screw cap from the top and thus annoy, and cause unnecessary expense to the authorized parties.

My invention is designed to prevent such tampering with the receptacle and 1ts contents and comprises a lockmg lever on the inner side of the screw cap operatively connected to a key stem on the outer sid of the cap.

To describe my invention so that others versed in the art to which it pertains can make and use the same, I have illustrated it on the accompanying sheet of drawing forming a part of this specification and in which Figure 1, is a fragmentary central vertical sectional view of a liquid soap receptacle having a device embodying my invention applied thereto; Fig. 2, is an inverted plan sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3, is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The receptacle 4 is of any desired shape and is provided with the open upper end 5 which has its circular exterior provided with the screw threads 6, onto which are fitted the screw threads 7 of the cap 8. By turning the cap 8 in one direction it is removed from the receptacle 4. and by turning it in the opposite direction it is secured on the said receptacle.

A locking lever 9 is rigidly mounted on a pin or short shaft 10 to lie adjacent the inner surface of the cap 8 so that its free end can swing toward and away from the screw threads 7 on the cap. This locking lever 9 may be of any desired form or shape but I prefer to make it of a flat piece of sheet metal of sufficient strength to lie snugly against the lower surface of the top of the cap 8 and have its free end extremity provided with an angular bend as shown at 11.

The upper circular edge of the receptacle 4L which has the screw threads 6 on the ex terior is provided with a notch or cut out 12 for the free end of.the locking lever to take into when the cap Sis screwed home to its seat. The pin or shaft 10 extends through the cap 8, on the exterior of which it is provided with a. squared or flattened end 13 to fit a specially made key, and by means of which the pin or shaft 10 and therefore also the locking lever 9 is turned to any desired position.

The relative positions of the locking lever 9 and the notch or out out 12 with respect to the ending of the screw threads 6 and 7 on the receptacle and cap respectively, are such that, when the cap is screwed home on the receptacle, the notch or cut-out 12 will be in a position to permit the free end of the locking lever 9 to enter said notch or cut-out. When the locking lever 9 is turned to move its free end into the notch or cutout 12, it is turned in the same direction as the cap is turned to screw it onto the receptacle, so that if an attempt is made to unscrew the cap the one vertical edge ll will take against the free end of the locking lever 9 and force it against the screw threads 7 of the cap to a stop. The locking lever 9 is so positioned about its pivotal point that its free end will not pass the screw threaded flange of the cap and thus must enter and leave the notch or cut-out 12 from the same side.

Thus it is clear that the cap can be locked into position on the receptacle and can only be removed by anyone having the proper specially made key to fit the protruding end 13 of the pin or shaft 10.

The purpose of providing the extremity of the free end of the locking lever 9 with the bent portion 11 is to have the upper edge of the receptacle 4 automatically swing the locking lever 9 out of its path when the cap is screwed onto the receptacle if by inadvertence the locking lever should be left in a locked position.

The pin or shaft 10 is made to fit tight so that considerable force is required, even by the use of the proper key, to swing the locking lever from one position to the other; thus it is impossible to turn the locking lever at all without the use of some implement. Various modifications will suggest themselves to those versed in the art, which modifications will not in the least be a departure from the scope of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1s:--

1. A receptacle provided with an exterior screw thread about its open end and a notch in the peripheral edge of the opening, an internally threaded cap to fit said exterior screw thread and close the open end, a pivoted locking lever mounted on said cap arranged to have its free end swing into and out of the notch, and means for swinging said locking lever on its pivot.

2. A receptacle provided with an exterior screw thread about its open end and a notch in the peripheral edge of the opening, an internally threaded cap to fit said exterior screw thread and close the open end, a rotatable pin mounted in and extending through said cap, a locking lever rigidly mounted on said pin on the inner side of the cap arranged to have its free end swing into and out of the notch, and means {or turning said pin to swing the free end of the locking lever in or out of the notch as desired.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in presence of two subscribing witnesses this 29th day of De cember, 1913, at Chicago, Illinois.

HERMAN P. LESMANN. lVitnesses A'UGUsr Vocns, M. O. SCHROEDER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

